TWO OLD FRIENDS
My first story. No flames please.
Kira and Cagalli aren't siblings here.
PLANTs isn't outside Earth. It's just another country like Orb. Orb is Cagalli and Athrun's home country.
Chapter One
Seven years had already passed since Cagalli left home and decided to go to PLANTs to study and finish college. She was just sixteen then.
She didn't really think that she could find the courage to go back there. If it's just all up to her, she wouldn't want to come back, if not just for her parents. They would surely get hurt and, not to mention mad, if her upcoming wedding wouldn't be held there.
"Nervous? You look tense." Her boyfriend, Kira, said. He gripped her left hand which is atop her leg then he glanced slightly at her as he drove.
She shook her head as she smiled at him. "I'm fine. Don't worry."
"Okay." He said then he kissed her hand without taking his eyes off the road.
She couldn't help but sigh, which he noticed immediately.
"Wow, that's too deep. What's that for?" He asked with a smile.
"N-Nothing, really. I just thought that it's been a long time since I last set foot here. The place didn't change that much but I couldn't help but feel slightly out of place."
"You just got used to PLANTs. You stayed there for a long time."
She agreed with what he said and didn't comment about it. The truth is, it's just one of the reasons. Aside from that is another reason, a deeper one…
"ATHRUN!" Shouted the fourteen-year-old Cagalli. She ran as fast as she can to catch up with him. "Athrun, wait a minute!"
"Just go back, Cagalli, okay?" He said angrily.
"I will come with you…" She panted as both of her hands held his arm to stop him.
"What!" He exclaimed, voice laced with anger and irritation. "Go home." He commanded.
"Ne, why don't you want me to come along? You're just going to that bitchy Meyrin again, right? What's the matter if I come along?" She stubbornly held onto him.
And his irritation seemed to increase. "You're just a nuisance. I can't make a move because of you. And please, don't pester me. Go home. You're mommy may be looking for you now."
"She won't look for me. I asked permission from her and I told her I'm with you." She said with a smirk.
Her mother knows Athrun for their families are close friends. Whenever she tells her parents that it's him who she's going to be with, they would immediately let her go without any questions.
The emerald-eyed teenager face-palmed himself due to utmost irritation. "I'm begging you, Cagalli. Go home. If you want, we'll go out some other day. We'll go everywhere you want to go and we'll not go home if you don't want to." He said while trying to calm himself down before he totally go berserk on her.
She thought for a moment before answering. "Hmm…"
"What! Don't waste my time. If you don't want to, then don't!" He was about to get inside his car but she stopped him.
"Wait, wait! You don't really know how to take a joke, do you? Is that a promise?"
"Never mind!" He snapped.
"No, no. Okay, fine, I agree. But I want to go out tomorrow."
"Okay, okay." The boy answered as he got inside his car. It's obvious that he's just forced to do it so she would stop pestering him. Then without a word, he sped off.
She frowned at his actions. But it was easily replaced with a smile when she remembered that tomorrow, they'll be the ones going out together. Even today, she already know what to do for tomorrow so Athrun won't be compromised with Meyrin again.
She hurriedly went back home. She ate dinner more cheerful than ever which didn't go unnoticed by her mother.
After eating, she instantly got ready for bed. She needs to have a good night's sleep so she won't get easily tired with her date with Athrun tomorrow. She giggled at the thought.
"WAKE UP!" Cagalli yelled at her sleeping best friend. Athrun doesn't lock his room so she easily got in. He used to lock it before but she always finds a way to get in so he gave up trying to keep her out of his room.
"Athrun, wake up!" She yelled again and pounced onto him like a child. And like what she usually does, she began kissing him on the cheeks to wake him up. At the first few tries, it made him move out of the bed but afterwards, he decided to simply ignore it. Maybe he thinks that it's just an innocent kiss.
"It's still early, Cagalli. Let people sleep." Protested Athrun. He got a pillow and covered his face with it before curling back to bed. "And please, don't jump. You're not a kid anymore. You're heavy now. You might destroy the bed."
"At least you thought about the bed but do you still remember about your promise?" She asked with mock hurt.
He faced her. "Is it today?"
"Yes, sir, it's today. You forgot it already? You just told me that last night." She said with arms on her hips.
"Let's postpone it. Some other day maybe." And again, he curled back to bed and covered his face with the pillow.
Sadness clearly etched itself on her face. "Do you have something to do again? I think I told you first for you agreed with me last night."
Athrun curled even more on his bed and pressed his face even more on the pillow. He felt his surroundings for a moment and when she didn't move, he bolted straight up on the bed.
"Okay, okay! But please, can you let me change?" He asked irritably.
"You look like forced."
"Of course not! Here, I'm even smiling, see?" He sarcastically said and sneered.
"But you promised! You shouldn't –"
"I agreed already, right? What else do you want? Don't be so ridiculous, okay? You're just ruining my day." He snapped. "Now, get out of my room. I'm going to change."
It sounded hurting, but as time went by, she became immune to the way her childhood friend treats her.
"Let's go to the beach today, okay?" She said. And when she smiled, her braces became visible.
"Again? Aren't you getting tired of it? Whenever we go out, you always want to go there. Let's go somewhere else."
"And where do you want to go? To the place where you always go with Meyrin? No way! Bring her anywhere, I don't care. But me, I'm going to the beach. Just there." She said with finality in her tone.
Athrun just shook his head and didn't comment anymore.
As what she wanted, Athrun brought her to the beach. There are times when he would show disgust and irritation on her. There are also times where he's being kind to her, sometimes he even becomes overprotective.
When the sun was at its highest, he pulled her out of the water and back to the shore. Her mother made lunch for them and that's what they were eating right now.
"Hey, why do you have that distant look in your eyes? It's like you're not your normal self right now. You only ate a spoonful while I'm almost near finishing my food." She commented when she noticed him so silent.
"I'm just wondering what time it is already." He mumbled, unfocused.
She grabbed her backpack and found her wristwatch. "It's only twelve-thirty. It's still early but it's still too hot. I'll go back to the water later maybe." She said as she continue eating. "You? It's okay for you to soak under the sun for you're already dark-skinned." She added in a teasing voice then she laughed mockingly at him.
"Conceited," Athrun replied. He chewed his food carefully before speaking again. "Let's go home at 2 PM. I have to go somewhere."
"You and Meyrin?" She wasn't able to hide her sadness. She wants to show to him that she's hurting at what's happening to the both of them. Sometimes she just wants to get angry with him because ever since Meyrin came into his life, she became his second priority. But, when did she become his first?
He just nodded as if on agreement. He seems to don't give a damn if he ever heard the sadness in her voice.
"You really cannot say no to her, eh? So all you do is nod and nod and nod." She said irritably. "I really don't know if I would laugh at you, pity you or get mad at you. Maybe if she would tell you to jump on a cliff, you would really do it, ne? Without any second thoughts. Fortunately, there's no cliff around here."
Instead of getting angry, he just laughed at what she said. "That's what I like about you. You have the craziest ideas. And you never fail to make me laugh." He said which intensified the irritation she felt. "Yeah, that might be a good idea just to prove to her that I am at her command. Thank you, Cagalli Yula Hibiki. I didn't know you could be that smart." He then grinned mockingly at her.
She glared at him then she angrily got her towel and walked away without any word.
"Hey, where are you going? You're not yet finished eating." He called. Albeit he got surprised at her reaction, he still couldn't help but be amused.
"I'm finished, sir. And why do you care if I don't want to eat anymore?" She yelled without looking at him. She just continued to walk away from him.
"So where are you going? Don't tell me you got pissed?"
"The hell you care!" She yelled again. And then she didn't hear a thing from him.
Due to great irritation, she didn't notice the rock on her way. Before she knew it, she was literally eating sand.
"Cagalli!" She heard Athrun call. He hurriedly ran towards her. "Are you all right?" He asked worriedly. He attempted to help her up but she slapped his hand away.
"Go ahead, laugh." She snapped, using anger to cover up her embarrassment.
"Why would I laugh at you? I'm worried. Are you hurt?" He helped her stand up while checking her for any wounds.
She brusquely dusted herself off of sand and got loose from him. "The last thing I need from you, Athrun, is pity." She snarled at him, then she left and went to the shower room.
She saw him shook his head when she turned her back to him. She even heard him sigh.
Cagalli dropped ungraciously onto her bed and stared at the ceiling quietly. She can't decide if she should get mad on herself for her actions on Athrun a while ago on the beach. She acted like a child again. And she's pissed because she knew that it's one of the reasons why he doesn't take her seriously. He looks at her as a mere kid who always needed his protection and shouldn't be taken seriously. She was nothing more to him than a pestering kid.
She got up from the bed and faced her full-length mirror. She stared intently at her reflection. She smiled at different angles. She pulled off the eyeglasses she's wearing and smiled again. Still unsatisfied, she pulled off the clips tying her long gold hair into a tight ponytail and let it down her back. She smiled again at her reflection.
"Still can't believe that you are beautiful?" From the door of her room, her mother, Via Hibiki, said.
Her back instantly straightened and faced her mother. Though she couldn't see herself, she knows that she's blushing furiously now. "H-How long have you been there?" She asked in embarrassment. She prayed that her mother wasn't able to see the other things she did while facing the mirror.
Via looked up at the ceiling as if thinking. "Hmm… long enough to see you smile at the mirror many times." She said while looking teasingly at her.
Cagalli turned her back on her mother though she knows that Via could still see her face through the mirror. "Stop being nosy, Mom, please."
"I'm not. I wasn't meaning to see you a while ago." Via explained. She wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and looked at the mirror. "Who do I have to thank for letting your feminine side come out?" She asked, grinning teasingly at Cagalli.
"Mom!"
"And you're keeping a secret from me now." Added Via, her teasing smile still there on her lips.
"Mom!"
"Okay, okay…" Via raised both of her hands up in the air. "I'm going, I'm not going to pester you anymore." Then she went to the door. But before she could get out, she stopped at the door. "You're beautiful, Cagalli, don't get intimidated. You're more than just a pretty face." Then her mother left before Cagalli could say anything.
She sighed. "You're just saying that because you're my mom." She said sadly. It doesn't mean that she doesn't appreciate what her mother had told her but she would really like it more if it came from Athrun. And if that happened, she would really be happy.
"Why do you have to be here? I didn't know that you like watching beauty pageants." Cagalli irritably asked Athrun who's currently straining his neck to look at the stage.
"Sshh, be quiet. I can't hear what the emcee's saying." He said which made her irritated even more. "In the first place, you were the one who forced to come with me. Now if you want to go home, by all means, go."
While he's busy looking at the stage, she, on the other hand, is busy pouting. Honestly, she didn't really want to go.
The pageant is annually held in their school to choose the Orb University Queen. The candidates are from the college department.
She's not interested on those kinds of shows. The only reason why she forced herself to go is to guard Athrun and Meyrin, who is one of the candidates.
"Let's go home." She told him.
"Look at her!" He said, not bothering to hide his admiration. "She really looks good in her gown." Yes, his voice was full of admiration.
She glared at him though she knows that he wouldn't see it. He couldn't for his emerald orbs are glued to Meyrin who's walking on the stage. She didn't know how she survived. She's there, in flesh and blood, but for Athrun she's only a mere shadow that should be ignored.
She thanked the heavens above when the emcee said that he will be announcing the next Orb University Queen. It doesn't mean that she wants to know who will win but because she already wanted to leave that place.
"Well, ladies…" The emcee turned to the candidates who are lined up and waiting for the results. "The moment you've all been waiting for has come." He paused for a moment and looked at the audience then smiled. "This year's Orb University Queen is none other than…" He let it hang in the air so as to add suspense. The drum roll soon followed.
She wanted to hit Athrun for he looked like a kid with his fingers crossed and eyes closed.
He looks so stupid. She silently mused.
She glanced at the candidates. They are smiling even though it's obvious that they're all nervous. One of them is Meyrin which made her gut churn. She could clearly see how Athrun drooled over the red-haired woman as he stared at her.
"Miss HRM, Stella Louisser!" The emcee announced along with the claps and cheers of the winner's supporters.
She instantly looked at Meyrin who swiftly hid her disappointment in her smile. She couldn't deny that she felt slightly happy because of what happened. The knowledge that the red-haired woman didn't win added up to her self-esteem. She felt victorious. She even felt that she's the one who won the pageant. But she didn't let it out, especially to Athrun for fear that he'll strangle her.
When she turned to him, she saw that he looked like the world has crashed down on him. He looked like he's the one defeated. Even though she didn't want it, she feels sad for him. Her feelings for him took over her irritation on Meyrin. Anyway, I'm sad for Athrun and not because of Meyrin's loss.
She gave a start when he suddenly dragged her. "Come." And they made their way out of the crowd.
"H-Hey!" She protested. She almost tripped because he's walking too fast. "Hey, watch it!" She snarled at the man who almost stomped at her foot. "What the heck, Athrun! Where are we going?"
"Backstage." He said without even looking at her. "Walk faster!"
Her jaw dropped and she wanted to protest. And this jerk plans to go to that bitch on the backstage! The nerve! How uncaring this guy could be. She irritably mused.
"There she is…" He murmured softly when he saw the one he's looking for. His grip on her hand loosened and he approached Meyrin.
She wanted to yell at Athrun. It seems like his movements were turned into slow motion as he approached Meyrin. She saw the woman's face lit up when she saw Athrun.
A few moments after and she saw Meyrin's expression saddened. And as what she expected, the woman cried. And her super caring friend pulled her in his arms and comforted her.
She felt disgusted at the sight. She wants to strangle Meyrin at that moment.
"Let's go…" Athrun said when the two approached her. Meyrin was still sniffing as if she's really oppressed.
"Can we go home now, Athrun?" Cagalli asked, not hiding the irritation in her voice. She even glared at the two.
He nodded. "Uncle Ulen and Aunt Via might be looking for you now. It's almost nine in the evening." He looked at his watch.
"And you're taking her home, too?"
"Yup," He answered which made her frown even more.
"Ahm… Athrun…" Meyrin called which made him stop walking. "P-Please don't take me home yet. I don't want to go home." She said in a soft, sweet voice.
Cagalli's eyes widened at what she'd heard. It's already late and this woman still wants to go out? And she's even hitching Athrun with her!
"P-Please…" Meyrin begged, her blue eyes softening.
"Sure," Athrun replied which had Cagalli's eyes widening even more.
I'm not hearing this!
"Really? Thanks, Athrun!" Meyrin almost jumped in joy.
What she didn't expect was when Meyrin kissed Athrun. And like her, Athrun got speechless. Maybe due to surprise. But he recovered instantly to hide it.
Cagalli was really silent at the car. At the way she looks it, though she would speak, Athrun and Meyrin wouldn't even notice her. And she feels that she would get sick at what she's seeing.
Athrun was so sweet to Meyrin. He'd asked her several times if the woman was okay. And the most painful part? The two were holding hands!
When they arrived in front of her house, she doesn't want to go out of the car. She wanted to be surprised that Athrun had thought of bringing her home or that she's still with them. Or maybe he just wanted to bring her home so that he and Meyrin will be alone.
She felt really mad. She doesn't want to go home when the two are still together. She would guard them. She's afraid that Meyrin would rape her Athrun.
"Here we are, Callie. Goodnight." Athrun said. He didn't even look at her. Instead, he turned to Meyrin. He only looked at her when she didn't make any move. "I said 'goodnight', Callie. Don't you want to go home? We're here at your house."
"Yeah, I heard you. But there's still lacking on what you said, so I won't get out of this car until you complete it." And she crossed her arms and pouted her lips.
Athrun's brows furrowed as if he's thinking.
"You forgot the 'sleep tight and sweet dreams'." She reminded him.
He shook his head. "Okay, okay. Goodnight, Callie. Sleep tight and sweet dreams. I haven't forgotten anything now, have I?" Only just a little more and she knows that he'll get pissed already.
"There's still one." She said with a smile. And before he could speak again, she had already pressed her lips on his cheek. It was a kiss on the cheek but it sealed his lips. He wasn't able to speak. She, on the other hand, got out of the car without any word.
She swiftly got inside the gate and when it closed, she ran inside the house. She leaned against the door when it closed. Her heart is beating furiously now. How she was able to kiss Athrun, she doesn't know.
Maybe she wants to irritate Meyrin. She wants the red-haired girl to get jealous like the way she's getting jealous a while ago. She wants to get even.
She didn't even feel guilty. Instead, she was happy.
Cagalli let her bike lean on the coconut tree near the cottage that Athrun was occupying. She looked at him from where she was standing.
She noticed that he seemed to be busy on playing his guitar so he didn't notice her arrival. She approached him.
"Hey! We look so serious today, eh." She greeted him. He got a bit surprised when he saw her then smiled. Opposite from her expectation that he would yell at her.
"Hey, listen to this," He said happily. He strummed his guitar and made a lovely tune from it and hummed a few notes.
"Here I am again. Feeling this feeling I can't explain. You touched my heart right from the start. I think I've fallen for you. Wish I could tell you how I feel. But it scares me so…"
She feels like being caressed by some angel's hands and subconsciously closed her eyes. She loved the way his deep voice fused with the guitar's tune. The words of the song went straight to her heart and carved themselves in there. She could feel the sincerity of each word.
She was pulled back from her daydreaming when she noticed that Athrun had stopped singing and playing. When she opened her eyes, she blushed furiously when she realized that he's staring at her. He doesn't look like mocking and he doesn't look like he's going to laugh but she seems to be embarrassed.
"W-Why did you stop?" She couldn't meet his gaze.
"Did you like it?" He asked to her surprise. She was expecting an insult.
She smiled and tried to look at him in the eyes. She narrowed her huge amber orbs and smiled. "I love it. Sing some more."
And he looked happy. He smiled before he played the guitar again. The beautiful melody filled the air once more.
She listened again and this time, she didn't stop herself from closing her eyes once more. His beautiful voice and the beautiful music from the guitar is soothing her. Lulling her to a nice place.
"Eh, why did you stop again?" She asked. "It's all first stanzas you've been singing."
He scratched his head. "That's the problem… I don't know the next line." He then smiled tentatively at her.
She winced at what she'd heard but instantly smiled. "I know. If you want, I will help you."
He looked at her from head to toe and then thought for a moment.
"Hey, I know something about music!" She snapped.
"I know. But no, thanks. I intend to finish this myself."
"Conceited!" She yelled at him. "Why, who's that for that you don't want me to help you?" She asked irritably while praying silently that it's for her.
He heaved a deep breath then he looked up at the sky before speaking. "Who else? So, what do you think? Is it nice?" He looked at her, his emerald orbs twinkling with happiness.
Yes, of course. Who else? She bitterly smiled and nodded in approval.
"Then why does it look like it's against your will? You want me to change it?" He asked and she felt that her opinion matters to him.
"N-No. It's beautiful, however, it's hanging." And that's for Meyrin. I wish, it's for me. I can appreaciate it more if it is. She added in her mind.
"Don't worry, I'll finish this instantly so next time I ask you if it's nice, you won't look like forced." He said while pinching the bridge of her nose.
She just smiled at him. "W-Where did you and Meyrin go last night?" It was too late to take the question back. She didn't want to be nosy. She doesn't want him to get angry with her.
"Nowhere."
"Nowhere? What nowhere?"
"We didn't go anywhere last night."
Her curiousity was fueled up even more. "I thought she asked you to not bring her home last night? So, where did you go?"
"I said nowhere. Why are you so persistent?"
"Nowhere or you just don't want to tell me? Look, I won't tell anyone."
"If you don't want to believe, then don't."
"Okay, fine, I believe you. But why? You brought her home then? I thought she doesn't want to go home yet?"
"You're like a reporter, you know? To shut you up… last night, after we brought you home, I brought her home, too. She herself asked me to bring her home. So we went nowhere aside from your house and her house. So, satisfied?"
"She's the one who asked you to take her home?"
"You're really not persistent, eh? Come here." He pulled her in his arms and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
She suddenly felt so stiff. What's happening to her that she suddenly has this weird feeling because of Athrun's arm around her?
"I'm sorry if sometimes I'm taking you for granted. How I miss the old days, especially when we were just kids." He said seriously.
"Huh? Is that the effect of Meyrin on you and you're getting corny?" She joked in order to hide the uneasiness she felt.
"Ah, really?" He said then he suddenly tickled her. He didn't let her get away.
"Stop it, Athrun! Stop!" She protested in between shrieks, giggles and laughter. "Stop it!" She felt like she's losing her breath. He knows that she's ticklish on the side. "Please, Athrun!"
"Corny, huh…" He ran after her when she was able to escape and ran away to the beach. "Go, run! You think I wouldn't catch you."
"You can't catch me, slowpoke!" And she ran towards her bike where she left it leaning against the coconut tree. She hastily climb on it and sped off.
"Hey, not fair!" Athrun protested. "You cheated, Cagalli. Next time, I'll catch you, cheater!" She heard him shout as the distance between them increased.
End of chapter 1
